


Hair of a Thief

by fuzzybooks



Category: The Hobbit (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-14
Updated: 2013-02-14
Packaged: 2017-11-29 07:30:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/684403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuzzybooks/pseuds/fuzzybooks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nori was caught one too many times, and had to be punished, by way of instantly recognizable hair and beard-style.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hair of a Thief

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt: Nori’s hair and beard-style isn’t exactly inconspicuous, for someone who makes a living sneaking around and presumably doing everything he can to avoid being caught. Just by his shadow you can tell it’s him.
> 
> So maybe it’s a punishment. He was caught several times, and the last time he was actually brought to court (or the dwarven equivalent of a court), and the judgement was that he had to braid his hair in this way, which is the hairstyle of convicts. That way, people just know immediately that he’s not someone to trust and they stay away from him.
> 
> http://hobbit-kink.livejournal.com/4373.html?thread=9484309#t9484309

“…and due to the nature of you crimes as well as your clear lack of repentance, as shown by this being the eighth time you have been caught and brought before this court, you shall be sentenced to forevermore fashion your hair in a manner befitting a Tjuv and all shall know of your crimes. A failure to do so…”  
  
It had been such a simple and petty mistake really. He had misjudged just how quick the old goat would alert the guards, and just how fast this new guard could run. Dwalin, son of Fundin, was not going to let Nori get away with a slap on the wrists.   
Mind you, their court was a farce these days, most of the old judges were dead, and those that weren’t didn’t have a kingdom to back up their orders most days. The villages of Men didn’t care about the Dwarves, as long as they didn’t cause a ruckus or steal from them.   
  
This day though, instead of being brought to one of the judges he could bribe his way from, he had been brought to Dín Steelhammer. Aptly named, too.   
  
And now wherever he went, people stared and when they were done, they would tighten their hands on their purses and children. They would always make sure to keep their distance. He wondered, idly, if they knew that by marking him a thief, he could do naught but continue stealing, if he had any wish to survive?   
  
Going to his family was out of the question, just as it had always been. Besides, he could not burden Dori that way, even if it meant not getting to see his baby brother grow up. There were people watching thieves. There was always someone watching, and most of them weren’t among the savory lot. He couldn’t risk someone taking retribution for his crimes from his brothers. They deserved far better.  
  
Some days he dreamed of being able to let all his hair down again, back in his inconspicuous braids, but to do so would result in him missing an arm, if he was lucky, and head if the judge was feeling vicious. The braids would stay. They would stay, and so would the stares and the whispers. The constant fear for his brothers and a life of crime that he had no way to escape from, until rumours began to spread about Thorin Oakenshield and his quest to retake Erebor.  
  
Maybe he could finally be free of his burden, not for his sake. But for Ori’s, no one wants to associate with the family of a known thief. Yes, facing a dragon just might be worth it, if Ori could go unburdened from his brother’s crimes.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, Tjuv means Thief, in Swedish. Because I figured they would have a word for it.


End file.
